This wasn’t the kind of homecoming Kirk Cousins had hoped for.
Cousins, returning to Minnesota where he played from 2018 to 2023, is facing questions about his job security in Atlanta. The Falcons are on a three-game losing streak, and Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns during this stretch. Last week, he threw four picks in a 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, his worst performance in a decade.
“It’s kind of the challenge always in pro football to be able to get back up off the mat and get back going,” Cousins said after Wednesday’s practice.
Despite a vote of confidence from coach Raheem Morris, there is still talk about giving rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. a chance to help turn around the Falcons’ offense. Morris said on Sunday he never thought about pulling Cousins from the game and repeated his support for the veteran on Wednesday.
“Got to go to Minnesota and get a big-time win and Kirk’s ready to go,” Morris said, also admitting that Cousins needs to bounce back from “obviously a tough game.”
“You know, realistically, man he is built for this and he’s ready to go,” Morris said.
The Falcons (6-6) are struggling to stay on top of the weak NFC South division. They currently hold the tiebreaker advantage over Tampa Bay (6-6), but they need Cousins to end his turnover streak.
Cousins, 36, was expected to be a dependable leader for the offense after signing a four-year, $180 million contract. Now, he is under pressure for all the wrong reasons. He said he expects the Minnesota fans to give him a loud reception.
“They’re great fans, great football fans,” Cousins said. “As a result, I think they’ll make it as hostile as they can for us.”
Cousins ranks fifth in the league with 3,052 passing yards. He has 17 touchdown passes, and his 13 interceptions are just one short of his career high.
Cousins insists he feels good physically after recovering from last season’s torn Achilles tendon. He admitted that he made mental mistakes in the loss to the Chargers, rushing some passes and sometimes failing to put enough force on his throws, which allowed defensive backs to intercept the ball.
Atlanta’s offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also noted that Cousins’ lack of velocity on his throws “just goes back to, you know, decisiveness, being decisive when you do cut it loose. Certainly those things happen with quarterbacks. There might be times where, you know, you’re not as convicted on a throw. And it shows by the way the football comes out.”
Morris said he still believes in Cousins’ arm and his mental approach to the game.
“He’s done a great job with us, and I have no real qualms about him bouncing back and him being able to play the game the way it needs to be done,” Morris said. “He’s still an elite processor. He has the ability to make all the throws. He’s shown that throughout the year.”
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores also said he expects Cousins to recover from his slump.
“I know the narrative is he had a tough game last week, but he’s played some good football,” Flores said. “I think the people in this building know what Kirk can do. He’s a very, very good quarterback.”
Flores added, “He’s a bounce-back type of guy, as we all know. I’m expecting his best, the best version of Kirk, the best version of that offense. It’s going to be a major challenge for us.”
Atlanta’s offensive output has dropped while Cousins’ turnovers have increased. The Falcons have been held to fewer than 20 points in each of their last three losses.
“Have to just believe that tough times don’t last, tough people do,” Cousins said. “You have to keep pushing.”
